There are lots of reasons why people choose to go down the route of having a side hustle. For some, in today’s fast-paced and financially demanding world, having a side hustle has become more of a necessity than a luxury. An extra way to make ends meet as the cost of living increases.
For others of you, one or more side hustles is just a way of being more creative with the way you make money. They give you the opportunity to work part time and to choose the hours you want to work.
Since the pandemic, many people have changed their attitudes towards work and work life balance and they want the scales of this balance to tip in their favour – more time to do the things you love and be with the people you love.
Whether you’re looking to pay off debts, save for a big goal or simply create multiple income streams, side hustles can provide a valuable financial cushion.
Thanks to the digital age, opportunities have expanded well beyond traditional part-time jobs. You could be going out to do a more traditional type of part time job with fixed hours and whilst you enjoy this, your side hustle can be something that allows you to indulge in your passion.
Here are 17 of the best side hustles for making those extra pounds to make the bank account look healthier. Some are online options for those of you who are all about the digital age, whilst others are offline – valuable time away from the laptop and the smartphone.
And however you want to make your side hustle work, you can, of course combine the two, using online options to promote your work.
The list below has something for everyone – to suit various skills, interests and schedules.
And don’t forget, the best side hustles are the ones that allow you to earn money whilst doing something you really enjoy. And they shouldn’t be taking up so much of your time that they impact on home or work life.
17 Great Side Hustles To Boost Your Bank Balance
Freelance Writing
We’ve written an article in the past about the best part time job ideas for wordsmiths. And freelance writing can be a great side hustle.
If you have a flair for writing, freelance content creation is a high-demand and flexible side hustle. It can be a challenge getting your name out there. But once you have built up a reputation, you should have people coming back for repeat jobs.
As well as using online freelance sites to bid for work to get you started, you can also pitch directly to bloggers who are looking for people to write content for them, magazines and content agencies. If you’ve got friends who run their own businesses, pitch to them, too. You can write content for them.
As well as a passion for writing, if you also have a passion for a particular subject area, you can combine the two for your side hustle as a writer. Popular topics for content writing include finance, travel, food, tech, fashion and lifestyle.
Estimated Earnings: £20–£200+ per article
Selling Your Creations & Fashion Online
There are numerous top platforms out there where you can sell goods.
Etsy is a top platform for creatives who want to sell handmade or vintage goods, printables or art. From candles and jewellery to digital planners, this hustle is great for crafters and designers.
If you love fashion and have lots of clothes and accessories that you could sell on, look at selling on sites like Vinted and Ebay. and once you’ve sold your own surplus, sell that of your friends and family and take a cut of the earnings. A win win for them and for you.
Sites like this give you immediate access to a huge targeted audience of buyers.
Estimated Earnings: £100–£2,000+ per month (depending on product and marketing)
Online Or In-Person Tutoring
Online tutoring has exploded in popularity.
If you’re skilled in subjects like Maths, English, Science or Music, you can earn by helping students online. There are online tutoring platforms that can help get you started or you can help friends and family and build up a reputation through word of mouth.
Tutor online or in person at a location that suits both you and the person you are tutoring.
Estimated Earnings: £15–£40 per hour
Delivering Food With Delivery Companies
For flexible work that gets you outside, delivering food via bike or car through delivery companies is a popular gig. For some of these companies, you can choose your own hours to fit around your work or other commitments and get paid per delivery.
Not to mention, there could be tips, as well.
There are lots of opportunities out there who would like a side hustle that involves being behind the wheel or zipping about on a bike.
Estimated Earnings: £12–£20 per hour (+ tips)
Selling Homemade Goods
If you love to be creative and make things, you could get hands on and create things that you can sell at places like craft fairs or via your own online presence.
Upcycling bits of furniture that people thought was junk, making tailored clothes or getting in the kitchen and baking cakes or making other foods to be sold at farmers markets and other fayres.
If you have a skill – and passion – like this, think about how you could leverage it to make it into a profitable side hustle.
Estimated Earnings: Variable.
Investing In Stocks & Shares
While not a traditional hustle, learning to invest in the stock market can build passive income over time.
Platforms like Freetrade or Trading 212 make it accessible to beginners.
Research and risk management are key. Bear in mind that this is a side hustle where you could lose money as well as making money so make sure this is something you want to do.
Estimated Earnings: Variable (based on capital and market performance)
Dog Walking Or Pet Sitting
Animal lovers can make money offering pet care services. If you want to keep this as a local side hustle, pitch your idea to family and friends who already have pets and then go on to build up a reputation locally.
Lots of people, particularly those who are working full time, will appreciate their dog being walked. If you are experienced and confident with dogs, you will be able to walk multiple dogs at the same time making it easier to clock up your earnings.
Bear in mind that local councils impose limits on how many dogs you can walk at once. If you are planning on walking multiple dogs, check with your local council what their limit is to avoid getting a fine.
Check out our article for other types of jobs for animal lovers.
Estimated Earnings: £15–£25 per hour
Renting Out A Room Or Property
If you have a spare room or holiday property, sites like Airbnb let you rent it out to short-term guests.
This could be especially profitable if you live in an area that attracts tourists and / or business travellers. Buşld up a good reputation and you will soon be seeing more bookings coming your way.
Renting out a room isn’t for everyone but if you love to meet new people and share your knowledge of the area – as well as your home – with them, it could be a great and easy side hustle.
You can also manage others’ properties for a fee if you don’t have a property of your own to rent out.
Estimated Earnings: £300–£1,500+ per month
Virtual Assistant (VA) Services
VAs support businesses with tasks like email management, customer service, data entry, and social media. Many small UK businesses now hire VAs on a freelance basis.
This can be a great side hustle for those of you who are experienced in admin jobs or if you are a naturally organised person. Lots of these jobs can be done in your own time to fit in around your other commitments.
Estimated Earnings: £15–£30 per hour
Content Creation
If you feel you are an expert in a particular niche – or you have a passion for it – then content creation can be a great side hustle.
It is worth bearing in mind, however, that the amount of income you can generate depends on the number of readers / listeners / followers you can build – and this can take time.
Content creation can be done by setting up your own blog, creating a YouTube Channel, growing presence on Instagram and / or TikTok.
There are different ways of generating income with content creation:
- Affiliate marketing – there are lots of companies out there that have affiliate marketing programmes. You promote their products or services and earn a commission on sales. You can do this via a blog, YouTube channel, or social media account.
- Ad revenue – this can be earned through ad companies and you can also approach relevant companies that relate to your niche to persuade them to place their ads on your site.
- Sponsorships – you create content for your audience that promotes a particular product or service and the company pays you to do so.
Estimated Earnings: £100–£10,000+ per month (depending on views and followers)
Print-on-Demand Business
Print-on-demand (POD) lets you design goods such as T-shirts, mugs, calendars, cards or notebooks. These are then only printed once someone orders and pays for them.
This side hustle is both creative and passive at the same time, once set up.
Estimated Earnings: £50–£1,000+ per month
And if you want to exercise your creativity further, take a look at these ideas for part time creative jobs.
Social Media Management
Many small businesses need help managing their social media but can’t afford a full-time employee. If you’re savvy with Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or TikTok, you can offer freelance management or content creation.
If you are someone who is a regular user of social media, this is the type of side hustle that you can do without it taking too much time out of your day and it is something you enjoy doing.
Estimated Earnings: £200–£1,000+ per client monthly
DIY Jobs
If you are a handy person and you are someone who has the art of assembling flatpack furniture off to a tee, small DIY jobs for other people could be a great side hustle for you.
As well as furniture assembly, you can help people around their home with tasks like basic DIY and gardening.
There are apps you can use that will help you to find gigs in your local area whilst you build up a reputation for being a reliable DIY-er.
Estimated Earnings: £15–£30 per hour
Becoming a Reseller (Flipping)
Are you someone who loves to be up early on a Sunday morning, rummaging through the goods for sale at car boot sales or pursuing what’s on offer at your local vintage and antiques fairs?
If so, a good side hustle for you could be flipping.
Flipping involves buying items at a low cost and selling them for a profit a la TV programme Bargain Hunt.
Estimated Earnings: £200–£2,000+ per month
Participating in Online Surveys or Research Studies
While not a high earner, surveys and studies are easy and accessible to anyone.
There are lots of sites out there like YouGov that will pay you for your opinions.
Some surveys are longer than others and therefore pay better.
Estimated Earnings: £20–£150 per month (depending on time spent)
Rent Out Your Parking Space
If you live somewhere where parking is at a premium and spaces are difficult to find – and you have a parking space going spare – why not use that to make some extra cash. An easy side hustle that shouldn’t take up much of your time.
Depending on how you use the parking space, you could rent it out on a daily basis – useful if you live in a tourist area where daytrippers are common.
Or you could rent it out for longer periods if you live somewhere where people need to park for work or if someone close to where you live needs an extra parking space.
Estimated Earnings: £50–£500+ per month
Coaching or Consulting
If you have experience in areas like fitness, career development, business or mental health, you can offer one-on-one coaching.
This can be done online or in person.
Estimated Earnings: £30–£200+ per hour
How to Choose the Right Side Hustle
The best side hustle for you will depend on your goals, time availability and interests.
Before you launch into your new side hustle, here are a few things to take into consideration, first:
Time Commitment
Your side hustle shouldn’t be interfering too much with your home life or your work life.
Some hustles, like dropshipping or content creation, require more upfront time but offer passive potential as time goes on. Others, like tutoring or delivery, offer immediate hourly pay.
Startup Costs
Consider how much you are willing to invest in getting your side hustle off the ground.
Some hustles, like reselling or print-on-demand, require inventory or design tools. Others, like surveys, cost nothing to begin.
Skills & Interests
Play to your strengths. If you’re a numbers person, tutoring might suit you.
If you enjoy social media, try affiliate marketing or social media management.
Your side hustle shouldn’t be a chore. Rather, it should be something you love and enjoy spending time doing.
Flexibility
If your main job has unpredictable hours, opt for hustles with flexible scheduling, such as freelancing or gig apps.
Are You Considering A Side Hustle?
In the UK, the gig economy and digital transformation have opened up a wide range of income opportunities.
Whether you are looking to make an extra £100 a month or build a full-time income stream, there’s something out there for you.
Many people start small and scale their hustle into a thriving business. Start with one hustle, stay consistent – and over time you may find yourself with more financial freedom, less stress and even a brand-new career path.